Angular containers



March 27, 1962 Filed April 12, 1960 F. w. LOCKE 3,027,061

ANGULAR CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Fran/r M/ Lac/re BY Wm @M M ATTORNEY March 27, 1962 F. w. LOCKE ANGULAR CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States PatentO 3,027,061 ANGULAR CONTAINERS Frank W. Locke, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Co., St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Apr. 12, 1960. Ser. No. 21,816 8 Claims. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to an improvement in angular containers and deals particularly with a container designed to accommodate an angularlv formed object such as a draft thermostat having a box-like end and an elongated tubular member extending therefrom and designed to extend into a chimney flue or the like.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a container of the type described which may be formed from a generally rectangular blank of corrugated paperboard or the like and which includes, when assembled, a tubular body portion having a closed end and a tubular right angularly extending wing at one end of the body which extends from, and acts as a closure for, the other end of the body. By producing the container in an angular form, considerable space is saved in storage and in shipment, and the amount of paperboard used to form the container is considerably less than would be required if the container were of conventional type.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an angular container having a tubular portion which is hingedly connected to a second tubular portion. The tubular portions are so constructed that one can extend at right angles to the other.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the container in closed position.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan View of the container with the top portion thereof broken away to disclose the container.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the container is formed.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view of the blank of an interior packing piece used within the container.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the container in partially folded position.

FIGURE 6 is a view similiar to FIGURE 5 showing a subsequent step in the folding operation.

The container A is formed of the blank best illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The blank includes a rectangular bottom panel 10 which is foldably connected along two parallel edges 11 and 12 to first side wall panels 13 and 14. The side walls 13 and 14 are preferably connected along fold lines 15 and 16 to top panels 17 and 19 respectively. The fold line 16 is shown as interrupted by a pair of generally U-shaped cut lines 20 which ter minate along the fold line 16 and which extend slightly into the panel 19. In folded form of the container, these cut lines 20 form locking slots designed to accommodate locking tongues 21 foldably connected along fold lines 22 to the edge of the top panel 17. The particular type of locking tongues and slots employed is a matter of choice, and it is obvious that the tongues 21 may extend into slots in the side wall panel 14 and the top panel 19 eliminated, the use of the top panel or flange 19 is ad vantageous as it adds stifiness and rigidity to the container.

An end wall panel 23 is foldably connected to a third edge of the bottom panel 10 along a fold line 24. Side flaps 25 and 26 are connected to opposite sides of the end wall 23 along parallel fold lines 27 and 29, respectively. Due the thickness of the corrugated paperboard used, these fold lines 27 and 29 are ofiset inwardly from 3,027,061 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 the fold lines 12. Slots 3! and 31 separate the ends of the side walls 13 and 14 from the flaps 25 and 26 and these slots are shown slightly inclined relative to the fold line 24. The purpose of this arrangement isso that the cover panel 17 may be of sufiicient length to extend over the end wall 23 to insure a tight closure. A partition flap 32 is hingedly connected to the side flap 25 along a fold line 33 parallel to the side wall fold lines 27 and 29 of the end wall panels 23. The partition panel 32 is provided with an aperture 34 extending therethrough which is designed to assist in supporting the article contained.

As is indicated in FIGURES 2 and 6 of the drawings, the container A is designed to accommodate a thermostatic control B which includes a generally rectangular box-like end 35 having an elongated tube 36 extending therefrom near the bottom of the rectangular portion 35. The aperture 34 is usually of proper size to accommodate the tube 36 and to hold the tube in proper spaced relation to all of the walls of the container. The portion thus described comprises the elongated body portion of the container. The tubular wing is attached to the remaining end of the bottom panel 10.

A second end wall panel 37 is foldably connected to the fourth edge of the bottom panel 10 along the fold line 39. The end panel 37 is of greater length than the end panel 23 so that the wing of the container may extend upwardly above the body portion as indicated in FIG- URE l. The end panel 37 is connected by a pair of parallel fold lines 40 and 41 to second side wall panels 42 and 43. These second side wall panels 42 and 43 are provided with extensions 44 and 45 which are of a width substantially equal to the height of the side walls 13 and 14 in the folded condition of the container. An inner end wall panel 46 is foldably connected to the second side wall panel 42 along a fold line 47 which extends from the top edge 49 of the side wall to a cut line 50 separating the panel 46 from the projecting portions 44. The inner end wall 46 is provided with a tongue 51 which projects downwardly below the level of the cut line 50 and which is designed to extend into the interior of the container to project below the top panel 17 when the container is closed and thus to hold the inner end wall panels in folded position. The projection 51 is designed to extend against the end edge 52 of the top panel 17 when the container is closed.

An inner end wall panel 53 is foldably connected to the second side wall panel 43 along a fold line 54 which is interrupted by a U-shaped cut 55 extending into the panel 53 from the fold line 54. A cut line 56 extends from the lower end of the fold line 54 to the end of the side wall 43 to separate the panel 53 from the projection 45. When the panel 53 is folded, the out line 55 forms a slot designed to accommodate a locking tongue 57 foldably connected along a fold line 59 to the edge of the panel 46. The locking tongue 57 thus assists in holding the upwardly extending wing in tubular form. A second top panel 60 is foldably connected to the end of the end wall 37 along a fold line 61 which is parallel to the fold line 39 connecting the end wall 37 to the bottom panel 10. Flaps 62 and 63 are foldably connected to opposite side edges of the top panel 60 along parallel fold lines 64 and 65. The flaps 62 and 63 are supported to fold inwardly of the second side walls 42 and 43 when the container is erected. The top panel 60 is of a length substantially equal to the distance between the fold lines 40 and 47 and the distance between the fold lines 41 and 54. The inner end wall panel 46 is substantially equal in length to the width of the end panel 37 so that when the locking tongue 57 is engaged in the slot 55, the wing is substantially rectangular and the tube is formed by the end wall 37, the second side walls 42 and 43, and the inner end 3 wall 516. The top of the wing is closed by the top panel 60.

FIGURE 4 of the drawings shows a packing pad including a pair of generally rectangular sections 66 and 67 which are centrally connected by a fold line 69. Oval shaped apertures 70 and 71 extend through the panels 66 and 67. When the panels 66 and 67 are folded into angular relation, the tube 36 may be inserted through these apertures and the tube is supported thereby. As the tube is relatively fragile, it is desirable that it be supported in spaced relation to the container walls. Also, as the box shaped portion 35 usually includes certain delicate parts such as a mercury switch or the like the flaps 62 and 63 act to line the adjoining portions of the side walls so as to act as a cushioning means.

In setting up the container A, the top wall 60 may be folded upwardly into right angular relation to the end wall panel 37 and the flaps 62 and 63 may be folded at right angles as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The opposite end wall 23 is also folded upwardly from the base panel and the flaps 25 and 26 folded in right angular relation to the end wall. The partition panel 32 may be folded parallel to the end wall 23 and the tube 36 of the instrument B may be inserted through the apertures 70 and 71 of the folded pad shown in FIGURE 4 and may be inserted through the aperture 34 of the partition pad 32. FIGURE 6 shows the partition pad in an open position merely to disclose the interior of the container, as when the instrument B is inserted in place, the insertion of the tube 36 through the aperture 34 is one of the first steps of the operation.

The side walls 42 and 43 are folded into right angular relation to the end wall 37 and to enclose the sides of the box-like portion 35 of the instrument. The inner end wall panel 53 is next folded into parallel relation with the end wall 37 and the opposite inner end wall portion 46 is folded to overlie the panel 53, the locking tongue 57 being inserted through the slot 55 to hold this portion in tubular relation to encircle the upper portion of the adjoining portion of the instrument B.

To complete the closing of the container, the side walls 13 and 14 are folded upwardly, the top panel 19 is folded down paralled to the bottom panel 10 and the top panel 17 is then folded over the panel 19. The locking tongues 21 are inserted into the slots formed by the cut lines 20 and the assembly is complete. The end edge 52 of the top panel 17 abuts against the projection 51 on the inner end panel 46 to assist in holding the tubular portions closed.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my improvement in angular containers, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An angularly shaped container having a body portion and a wing extending angularly from an end thereof, the body portion including a rectangular bottom panel, side wall panels hingedly connected to two opposite sides of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom and a first top panel hingedly connected to one of said side wall panels, said first top panel being shorter than said one side wall panel and terminating at said wing, the lines of fold connecting said panels being substantially parallel, a first end wall connected to a third edge of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, flaps hinged to opposite sides of said end panel and folded inwardly of said side wall panels, locking means detachably connecting said top panel to the other of said side wall panels, the wing including a second end wall panel hingedly connected to the fourth side of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, a second top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said second end wall panel and folded inwardly therefrom on a plane substantially parallel to, and spaced above, the plane of said first top panel, second side wall panels foldably connected to the side edges of said second end wall panel and folded in face contact with the side wall panels of said body portion, an inner end wall panel hinged to one of said second side wall panels along a vertical line of fold above the level of said first top panel, and locking means connecting said inner end wall panel to the other of said second side wall panels.

2. The structure of claim 1 and including flaps hingedly connected to the side edges of said second top panel and folded inwardly of said second side wall panels.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including a second inner end wall panel hingedly connected to the upper por: tion of the other of said second side wall panels and folded in overlapping relation to said first mentioned inner end wall panel.

4. The structure of claim 1 and including a third top panel foldably connected to the upper edge of the other of said first side wall panel and folded into overlapping relation with said first top panel.

5. The structure of claim 1 and including a partition panel foldably connected to an end of one of said fiaps connected to said first end wall panel along a vertical fold line and folded substantially parallel to said end wall panels.

6. An angularly shaped container having a body portion and a wing extending angularly from an end thereof, the body portion including a rectangular bottom panel, side wall panels hingedly connected to two opposite sides of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, and a first top panel hingedly connected to one of said side wall panels, the lines of fold connecting said panels being substantially parallel, a first end wall connected to a third edge of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, flaps hinged to opposite sides of said end panel and folded inwardly of said side wall panels, locking means detachably connecting said top panel to the other of said side wall panels, the wing including a second end wall panel hingedly connected to the fourth side of said bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom, a second top panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said second end wall panel and folded inwardly therefrom on a plane substantially parallel to, and spaced above, the plane of said first top panel, second side wall panels foldaby connected to the side edges of said second end wall panel, said second end wall panels including extensions of a height substantially equal to the distance be tween said bottom panel and said first top panel, said second side wall panels being folded inwardly of said first side wall panels with said extensions extending beneath said first top panel, an inner end wall panel foldably connected along a substantially vertical fold line to the portion of one of said second side wall panels extending above the level of said first top panel and folded parallel to said second end wall panel, and means locking said inner end wall panel to the other of said second side wall panels.

7. The structure of claim 6 and including a second inner end wall panel hingedly secured along a vertical fold line to the portion of the other of said second end wall panels extending above said first top panel, said second inner end wall panel extending in face contact with the first mentioned inner end wall panel.

8. A blank for forming an angular container having a body portion and a right angularly extending wing at one end of said body portion, said blank including a rectangular bottom panel, first side wall panels foldably connected to two parallel edges of said bottom panel, a top panel foldably connected along a fold line parallel to said two parallel edges of said bottom panel to one of said side wall panels, said top wall extending from an end of said one side wall to a point spaced from' the other end thereof, a first end wall panel foldably connected to a third side of said bottom panel which is adjacent to said one end of said side Wall, and flaps hingedly connected to opposite sides of said end wall panel along parallel fold lines, a second end Wall panel of greater length than said first end wall panel foldably connected to the fourth edge pf said bottom panel, second side wall panels foldably connected along parallel fold lines to the side edges of said second end wall panels, said last named parallel fold lines being at substantially right angles to said fourth edge of said bottom panel, an inner end wall panel hingedly connected to one of said second side wall panels and being of a length substantially equal to the distance between said two parallel edges of said bottom panel, a second top panel foldably connected to said second end wall panel along a fold line parallel to said fourth edge of said bottom panel, and flaps hingedly qonnected to the side edges of said second top panel along parallel fold lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,188,825 Potter June 27, 1916 1,747,981 Marsh Feb. 18, 1930 1,808,922 Gallistel June 9, 1931 2,118,821 Ringler May 31, 1938 2,731,191 Layne Jan. 17, 1956 2,791,363 Boeye May 7, 1957 2,844,295 Williams July 22, 1958 

